Election Flashback: 2012

ABC’s ADAM KELSEY

Four years ago, President Barack Obama won reelection over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by a margin of 332-206 electoral votes.

Television networks began to call the election for Obama shortly after 11 pm, when a combined 74 electoral votes came in for the president upon the closure of polls in California, Oregon and Washington, and 18 votes from Ohio -- which had been too-close-to-call since closing earlier in the night -- put the Democrat over the top.

Despite the apparent results, Romney waited almost three more hours to call Obama to concede, leaving the candidates to give their concession and victory speeches early Wednesday morning. Romney, expecting victory, reportedly did not draft a concession speech in advance, eschewing the norm of preparing two speeches.

Both candidates urged the political parties to work together in the aftermath of the election.

“The nation, as you know, is at a critical point. At a time like this, we can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing,” said Romney. “Our leaders have to reach across the aisle to do the people's work.”

Added Obama, “I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.”

by Adam Kelsey11/8/2016 9:06:00 AM

Election Day is here! From the candidates to polling stations all over the country, ABC News will have live updates from election coverage all day.

by Julia Jacobo11/8/2016 1:45:11 PM

From ABC News' Alexander Mallin:

Obama's Basketball Tradition Continues

President Obama isn't risking a break with tradition on this Election Day, He shot some hoops with friends in Washington, D.C., early this morning.

Obama was an avid basketball player before taking office in 2009, but admitted that his "game is broke" after spending more time on the golf course.

The president made an official commitment to play a game every Election Day after he broke with the routine the day of the 2008 New Hampshire primary, and lost that race to Hillary Clinton. He vowed "never again" to skip the practice.

His 2012 Election Day pickup game in Chicago featured special guest NBA hall of famer Scottie Pippen.

Tim Kaine Eyes 'Checkmate States' in Today's Presidential Election

After voting in his home state of Virginia, vice presidential hopeful Tim Kaine said today's election could come down to four "checkmate states," which he and running mate Hillary Clinton are keeping a close eye on.

"The ones we watch really close are checkmate states. Those are states where if we win, we know Hillary will be president. And I say this about North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio," Kaine said on "Good Morning America" this morning. "I think if we win any of those four, Hillary will be president."

Donald Trump Jr. Says His Dad Will Bring the Country Together, Win or Lose

Donald Trump Jr. said today his father will work to unite the country, whether he wins or loses today’s presidential election.

Trump, who said "the last 18 months has been the longest 10 years of my life," stressed his father's ability to "bring people together," citing his willingness to campaign in the inner cities as an example.

"It's been incredible to see people who have been disaffected by the political process," he told “Good Morning America” today.

10 Storylines to Watch on Election Day

From ABC News' MEGHAN KENEALLY:

It’s a big day for America.

The long-awaited election of 2016 is finally here, and it could be a historic one for a number of different reasons. The United States could elect its first female president; Republicans could take back the White House after two terms of Democratic control; there could be record voter turnout and the leading campaign election night parties will both be in New York.

Donald Trump's Possible Paths to Victory

Donald Trump's path to victory isn't clear and isn't set, but the Republican presidential nominee and his team have been working to ensure he has multiple paths to reach the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

One route he has been working toward includes states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Of the three, Michigan was the most recent to vote Republican, but that was back in 1988.

Nothing like the feeling of witnessing your child vote for the first time. Nothing. MAKE IT COUNT! 🇺🇸

by kellyripa11/8/2016 3:21:00 PM10:21 AM

by Julia Jacobo11/8/2016 3:29:00 PM

One airline is hoping to capitalize on the election by imploring fliers to make reservations while they're "still allowed to" -- making a not-so-subtle reference to Trump's plan to use "extreme vetting" and ban Muslims from from entering the U.S.

Massachusetts Doctors Are Helping Patients Vote From Their Hospital Beds

A group of Massachusetts doctors is helping sick patients to vote this Election Day in a new effort to make sure even those in the hospital have a chance to exercise their democratic right.

Dr. Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu co-founded the Social Justice Coalition for Cambridge Health Alliance this summer. Last month the coalition decided on finding ways to help recently hospitalized patients to vote.

"We do serve a population that can be low income or vulnerable [in] other situations," said Okwerekwu, who works at Cambridge Hospital, part of the Cambridge Health Alliance.

Tim Kaine voted alongside his wife at a Richmond, Virginia polling station he's visited for more than 20 years. Kaine voted alongside his wife, Anne Holton, and his parents and neighbors.

"I've been voting at this precinct for 24 years and it's so nice to be able to walk over from our house. These poll workers are regulars. They usually do it year after year after year. And to be just blocks away is really special and to see our neighbors,” Kaine said.

What Happens if the Electoral Vote Results in a Tie?

ABC’s ADAM KELSEY:

The odds are small, but because there are an even number of electoral votes, 538, a 269-269 tie in the final count is possible.

If, for example, Donald Trump were to win the battleground states of Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Ohio and Iowa, while Hillary Clinton wins Virginia, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Michigan and Wisconsin, we could be looking at such a scenario.

In the event of an electoral tie, the race would be decided by the process established by the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Members of the house of representatives cast a vote as a part of their state’s delegation. Each state has one vote, which makes, for example, Montana’s At-Large representative 53 times more powerful than any of California’s representatives. Whichever candidate wins at least 26 states is the new president.

But what if there’s another tie? If, by Inauguration Day, there is no winner in the house of representatives, the vice president -- who is elected by a straight vote in the senate, with 51 votes producing a winner -- becomes the new president.

But what if there’s yet another tie in the senate? Then Vice President Joe Biden, in his role as president of the senate, would break the tie.

by Adam Kelsey11/8/2016 3:56:04 PM

Voters line up outside a polling station in New York City. Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

by Julia Jacobo11/8/2016 4:01:00 PM

Hillary Clinton's Possible Paths to Victory

Hillary Clinton is hitting three important states in the final lap of her presidential campaign, with her team seeming confident that her road to the required 270 electoral votes is secure.

Clinton is headed to Pennsylvania, Michigan and back to Pennsylvania, then finishing up in North Carolina today. She spent time in Ohio this weekend with some all-star supporters such as Beyonce, Jay Z and a native son, LeBron James.

Election 2016: What You Need to Know About Write-Ins

As Election Day dawns on two of the most unpopular candidates in history, many voters are looking to ditch both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the polling booth. Google searches for “write-in” have surged, reaching their highest level since 2004, when the search engine first began compiling data.

Notable Referenda Around the Country

ABC’s ADAM KELSEY

In addition to ballots for the presidency, gubernatorial races, senate and house seats, and local representatives, citizens of many states will cast votes today for referenda in support of, or in opposition to, proposed laws.

Citizens in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are voting on variations of marijuana legalization, while minimum wage hikes on are on the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington. The first three states would raise wages over time to a minimum of $12, while Washington’s eventual floor would become $13.50.

In California, Maine, Nevada and Washington, voters will decide whether to institute gun control measures like stricter background checks.

Colorado’s Proposition 106, the “End of Life Options Act,” would support “making assisted death legal among patients with a terminal illness who receive a prognosis of death

by Adam Kelsey11/8/2016 4:55:00 PM

The Clinton campaign took part in the latest social media trend: the Mannequin Challenge.

Election Day 2016: Tracking Potential Voting Problems and Irregularities Across the Country

With about 80 million Americans heading to the polls today, the ABC News Ballot Watch Team is tracking potential voting problems and irregularities across the country. Donald Trump has repeatedly called the election “rigged” and warned of widespread voter fraud, while Democrats have brought lawsuits alleging potential illegal voter intimidation and suppression in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, Arizona and North Carolina. But election authorities in all 50 states told ABC News they have confidence in their voting systems.

The Nation's Capital to Vote on Full Statehood

On the ballot in the nation's capital on Nov. 8: whether the District of Columbia should become the 51st state.

D.C. is home to more than 650,000 residents who do not have a voting representative in the Senate, though they do have a delegate in the House, and all residents must pay federal taxes.

The lack of a vote in the more senior house of Congress is a sticking point with many D.C. residents. A popular version of the city's license plates is emblazoned with the phrase "Taxation Without Representation."